The story of the spring priestess
by hime-imane
Summary: In the euphoria that followed the end of war, they were so happy, but it was not enough, he grew restless and he dealt with it the only way he knew, he left. Now two years after that he is back. Follow the story of a quest toward forgiveness unfold, as old family secrets gets in the way. It a SASUSAKU fic, the M Rating is for the language and future chapters.


For a winter night, the air was rather warm and unusually balmy, with thousands of stars lightning the sky, he walked slowly weighing each step, admiring the beautiful weather, he didn't know what would become of him at the end of his journey, would they accept him back, imprison him, execute him, he didn't know, all he knew is that whatever the outcome he was certain that he was going home.

The imposing gates of Konoha appeared to him, as he approached they opened slowly, and in the moonlight a dark shadow advanced, he stopped walking and closed his eyes, he immediately recognized him.

"You're surprisingly early, sensei", Sasuke said slowly and emphasizing the last world.

"And you fashionably late, you were expected much earlier", the white haired man smiled behind his mask, "follow me ".

They walked silently through the quiet street of Konoha, everything was changed, he couldn't recognize any of the buildings that he saw through the dim light, the war deeply affected Konoha, it affected everybody in different ways, to him it brought a strange sense of inner peace, answers to the questions that haunted him most of his life.

He still remembered everything about it, the fights, the blood and sweat, the unique rush of excitement that was running through his body, as he remembered that day, a beautiful vision came to his mind, a vision of a beautiful pink headed Kunoichi, her breathtaking emerald green eyes and how they were filled with joy and hope when he rejoined them in the battlefield, her sweet full pink lips and how the spot between her breast smelled like walking a cherry blossom tree each time he had her in his arms, but again he ruined everything.

"We're here", Kakashi said interrupting his thoughts, he looked up and recognized immediately the sign on top the building, it's the hokage's tower.

As they walked through the door, several Juunins greeted them respectively, _of course,_ Kakashi Hatake was appointed Rokudaime Hokage after the war, Sasuke had left the village before the official announcement. He followed his sensei through long corridors, it was certain they were not going to his office, as it was custom that the hokage's office would be situated on top of the tour, the young Uchiha started to feel some worry, could it be possible that Kakashi was leading him to a room where he would execute him.

"we're not going to your office, are we?" Sasuke asked.

"No we're not", Kakashi simply answered "We're going to see someone that has been looking forward to see you for quite some time".

 _Once a mysterious asshole, always a mysterious asshole,_ his sensei always loved using that kind of stupid riddles which annoyed him the most, _it must be Naruto_ , but then it was too obvious and why would he not say it directly, _could it be Sakura_ , his heart started racing at the thought, what if it was really her, what would he say, how would he justify the way he left her. Arriving at the end of long corridor, Kakashi opened a heavy dark door.

"Tsunade-sama, Uchiha Sasuke is here to see you".

"Thank you Kakashi, you may go now".

The white haired shinobi excused himself and then left the office. Sasuke stared blankly at her the Godaime hokage, tsunade, one of the legendary sannins, he never was properly introduced to her since he left the village short after she was appointed Hokage and she was very sick after the war before he left again. He heard she was the granddaughter of HarashimaSenju, the first hokage, and yet she looked much younger than she should've been, the wars she survived didn't alter her beauty except for her eyes, making them cold and hard as stone.

"Please sit", he executed himself, "I never thought I would see the day when the almighty Sasuke Uchiha would be in my office".

"I haven't been in Konoha in quite some time".

"I rather say a long time since it's been 10 years that you deserted Konoha to go join Orochimaru. Now young uchiha, tell me why are you here?".

"It's kind of obvious, i want to come back to the village".

"Oh is that it, you have to excuse me, I am an old woman, but would you kindly explain to me why and it's so obvious?".

"With all due respect Godaime, I would much rather discuss that with the Rokudaime".

"I always knew that you Uchihas were pricks, but you...you take it to a new fucking level", Tsunadesaid her voice muffling her anger, "Since the Rokudaime is your former sensei, the council decided that his judgment is biased on this matter, so it was bequeathed to me make a decision".

Sasuke stared at her, reading her face, her eyes flicked with fury, a big vein was popping on forehead, her mouth twitching with irritation, _I am fucked._

"I Meant no offence, I was just pointing out…"

"You are so arrogant, so full of yourself, the great Uchiha Sasuke don't waste his time talking to people he thinks hold no power", the Goidaime interrupted him, "Now that we've established that I call the shots I ask again, why should it be obvious for me that you want to come back?".

"Well I am the last Uchiha, before their massacre, my family lived in Konoha from the beginning of its history as a village, even though I've made some mistakes on the way, I stood to defend it in the war, so I think I am entitled to wanting to come back to Konoha".

"Let me tell you something kid, I will not buy into the play you're going for, if you think that every sin you committed will be forgiven just because you're the last uchiha, or just because you helped us a little bit in the war"

"A Little bit?! I put my life in the line for this fucking village, I lost an arm in the goddam war"

"Then why did you leave for the second time?! when you joined our troopes in the battlefield you were so full of words, which i am told was kind of unusual since you're not the talking type. You defend the village, we welcome you back and then you leave again in the middle of the night. I told your idiotic teammate, once a deserter always a deserter, but he would not listen, the idiot still begged for you so that the council don't apply protocol and kill you".

"You don't understand what is like, you could never understand!".

"Boo hoo you lost people you love and that fucked you up real good, it's not your fault, it's because the entire shinobi system is fucked up, you think you're the only one who had his parents and family taken from him, get over yourself, we've all lost people we care about. But you didn't use that to make yourself stronger, you fell in the hatred and chose the easy way to get what you want, you left!, and now 10 fucking years after that, you drag your ass in my office and tell me that it should be obvious for me that you want to come back, hahahaha, well my young friend IT IS NOT FUCKING OBVIOUS!"

"Let me make something very clear to you, yeah I did what I did, am I proud of it? No, if I could undo it I would, but I can't!" he says slowly while getting up and putting his hands on the desk " And there is nothing you just or could say that i didn't torture myself with. I know, I got a second chance and I blew it when I ran away again, but i came back because that path is filled with only loneliness and guilt, is that what you want to hear ?, you want to know that for the last two years I felt nothing but miserable and hollow, you win!. But, an idiot once told me that Konoha is where I belong no matter what happened no matter what I did, it will always be my home. Now you can choose to authorize my return or not, but it definitely doesn't give you the right to judge every decision I took !"

"Now that's an actual answer to the question I asked", she said slowly smiling

The door opened suddenly Naruto flashed in with Kakashi at his back, _he didn't change much_ , still wearing the same stupid orange jump suit, but he is taller and got broader shoulders. He stared in shock at Sasuke for a few seconds then turned to Tsunade.

"I thought we had a deal ! we said that you won't give him a hard time and that we're gonna do this together!"  
"Oh please don't get your panties on a wad, we were just having an innocent little chat", said the godaime leaning back in her chair waving her hand nonchalantly

"An innocent little chat my ass! i heard your voices from the front door ! you perfectly know that this decision has been taken days ago, you said that you approve, you had no right to do this!"

"You'd better remember that even though you're a war hero and that the council kiss your ass and says yes to your every whim, it doesn't mean I do too, I am in charge for this fucking case! So if I deemed necessary to talk with Sasuke fucking Uchiha before letting him roam freely the streets of this village, you can't come here throw a tantrum and questioning my decisions !".

"And you have to stop acting as though i am still a child incapable of making a reasonable decision".

"Why don't we leave this discussion for tomorrow morning, we are all tired and on our nerves. The most important thing here is that Sasuke is back, Naruto why don't you take him to your place to rest, he must be tired, we'll figure the rest of the details tomorrow", Kakashi intervened to prevent the palpable tension from exploding.

"Yeah you're right Kakashi-sensei, let's go Sasuke".

"Well thank you for the innocent little chat", Sasuke sarcastically said to Tsunade, then gives his former sensei a slight nod before following his friend out of the office.

The moment the door closed, Naruto pushed him against the wall, a sharp kunai close to his throat.

"Before we leave this building, let me make something clear, if you ever go rogue on Konoha again for whatever reason, I will personally kill you", Naruto said in threatening tone and emphasizing the word whatever.

"So you've read the letter".

"Yeah I did" he said pulling the kunai of Sasuke's throat, "that was bullshit, you left because you needed to figure what happened out, who does something like that? ".

"Well I needed that to clear my head of all the shit that happened, process what I learned about my family and also, I wasn't ready to deal with the hatred of the people".

"I guess I can understand that, but teme if you ever need to deal with some shit, do it here don't leave the village".

"hn, I'll try", Sasuke slightly smirked.

After walking for a few blocks, they arrived in front a 5 stories building, Sasuke looked surprise because, there were, no rats, no weird mold growing on the walls, it was a proper and modern building.

"Can you take that weird look off your face, of course, i am not renting a single room in an old and crumpling building, I am a grown ass man".

"Hn".

Naruto's grown up apartment was a complete mess "So, that's my place", Naruto said before sitting in his sofa and started take of his shoes.

"It's filthy, how can you live in such place".

"Oh don't be such a delicate flower Teme, you want some ramen?", Naruto said nonchalantly going to the kitchen.

"Sure".

As Naruto prepared the ramen, Sasuke started to tour the blond'sapartment, there were socks, Kunais, scrolls everywhere, even some porn magazines. There was also a shelf full of pictures, one with Jiraya, one of his parents, and the picture of team 7 him, Naruto, Kakashi and Sakura, when they were only 12 years old Guenins, it seemed now like a lifetime ago.

"Weird, right?", Naruto said entering the room and putting the two ramen bowls in the table "It's been 10 Years since that picture was taken, so much changed, right?".

"Hn".

"I still got the awesome looks though".

"Idiot", muttered Sasuke.

"Come the ramen are ready", said Naruto, sitting in the couch and grabbing one of the bowls, but the Uchiha continued to stare at the picture, she looked so happy right there her smile was so bright so innocent, "Teme, it's gonna get cold and i …"

"How is she?", Sasukeinterrupted without looking away from the picture.

Naruto put down the bowl and said "Hmm, she's very good actually, I just saw her this morning at hospital, she is in charge in there now, and she's also the lieutenant to the special ANBU team that I run, she's amazing, I don't know how I would manage it without her".

"Good", Sasuke said sitting next to the blond, and asked "Does she know I am here?".

"No, she doesn't, the only people who know of your return are, me, the old hag, the Council, Kakashi, Ino and some people that work for her".

"Ino… as in Ino Yamanaka?", asked Sasuke.

"The one and only, two weeks ago, she came to me and told that you were spotted checking in some inn by the borders of the fire country. That's how I knew that you were going to come back home. So, I started making your case with Tsunade, which was, as you could imagine not a very easy feat to accomplish".

"But… how did she know when I entered the fire country?".

"Well, Ino with her very useful Yamanka powers, is a very precious and valuable intelligence agent with a very large network of civilians and ninjas working for her".

Sasuke was quite surprised, the Yamanaka Ino he remembered, was a silly blond girl who used to be one of his groupies, now she is running a large network of spies. He sat next to Naruto and started to eat his bowl of ramen.

"Naruto, I've never had any expectations of any kind about your culinary skills, but man this is disgusting, how can you ruin instantaneous noodles".

"Hey! Would you stop it ! I invited you here not criticize my home or my noodles ! Ungrateful bastard !", screamed Naruto his mouth still full spitting everywhere.

"Close your mouth while eating, you idiot !".

"Stop nagging ! the kitchen is that way, go help yourself to anything you like", Naruto said swallowing his remaining ramen, "So you're not gonna eat that", he points to sasuke's bowl.

"Tch, you can have it", Sasuke said smiling slightly and making his way to the kitchen.

To sasuke's surprise, the kitchen was in a much better state than the rest of the apartment. He then took vegetables and chicken from the fridge and starts to make stir fry. Naruto took his bowl and sat in front of the counter, watching his friend cook.

"Wow, you really know how to cook !", gushed Naruto impressed by how fast Sasuke was cutting the vegetables.

"Hn, well not everyone is an idiot like you".

"You are a mean asshole", Naruto said faking being mad, "Here I was going to ask you to be my roommate".

"Me ? As your roommate, why ?".

"Well first you're my best friend, my brother from another mother, also the apartment is too big for me and you're neat, clean and a good cook, all in all the perfect roommate candidate", Sasuke said nothing and gave his friend a dead cut the crap and tell me the truth stare, "And you don't have much to say in the matter because it's the council order that for at least the first 6 months of your return in konoha that I don't leave your side to make sure that you don't harbor any harmful intention toward konoha".

"are you kidding me ?".

"Well considering that until a few days you were considered a war criminal and a deserter, no I am not kidding you" started Naruto "you'll also have, to wear a tracker to monitor your movements, and sign up for therapy with Ino, cause other than being a wonderful spy she is also a wonderful therapist".

Even if though sasuke found those conditions absolutely ridiculous, he understood they were legitimate precautions that council had to make to guarantee the safety of the village from someone like him.

"So for tomorrow, first we have a meeting with council, the old hag and Kakashi-sensei to make your return official, you'll have to sign a lot, statements, official admission of guilt, apology letters, and let's not forget the paper work concerning your family's properties and assets. After that, we have to rectify your rank because even though the last you were here, you took the ANBU tests you left before you were assigned to a team, we'll have to get you to my team, the S.I.D, Special Investigations Division, we got all the cool cases you're gonna love, we're never bored. Finally, I think go inform Sakura-chan of your return and have a team 7 dinner", at the mention of her name Sasuke started to feel a little bit nervous.

"How do you think she will take it ?".

"I know you guys have a complicated relationship, so I have no idea how she will react, but what I do know is, she had to go through a very hard time after you left. So we'll have to be very careful with the way we're gonna break the news for her, or we could end up both in the hospital with fractured bones or torn limbs".

As they were eating his stir fry, and Naruto complimenting his cooking, Sasuke couldn't help and wonder about what Naruto had said about Sakura going through a hard time, he knew his blond friend would not tell anything even if he asked, so he continued silently eating feeling more anxious about his meeting with the pink haired Kunoichi.

"That was awesome", Naruto complemented rubbing his belly, "I am so stuffed, I can't move".

"Well you've just regurgitated two bowls of your awful ramens and the bigger half of MY stir fry. I am surprise your stomach didn't actually explode", Sasuke said putting the plates in the sink and rolling his sleeves to wash them.

"Just put those in the sink I'll clean them in the morning".

"Tch, no you won't, you'll them rot like the rest of the house".

"Hey! I may not have the cleanest apartment of konoha…"

"That's the understatement of the year", Sasuke interrupted smirking.

"BUT, I keep my kitchen clean, I am not that gross, ok?", the blond ninja continued defending himself.

"ok, ok, I am leaving the plates in the sink, satisfied Dobe?".

"Alright, you must be tired, follow me so I show you to your room".

Sasuke followed his friend through the hallway of his apartment, "So this is your room, there is a very comfortable bed, which seriously feels like sleeping on little cloud, you're gonna love it. There are also warm blankets in the cupboard, towels in the closet, you have your own bathroom, so feel free to take a long bath, I even picked out some clothes for you, and don't worry none are bright orange" Naruto said smiling at sasuke, who seemed to have lost his words.

" You know, I would've been ok with your couch".

"I know" Naruto laughed "but you've been a freaking nomad for XX years, I think you deserve some comfort, teme ".

"Thank you, dobe".

"So, good night, rest well we have a big day tomorrow. And for god's sake take a bath".

"Get out" Sasuke ordered, the blond left the room laughing.

The room was perfect for him, it was neither too big or too small, it had a large window looking into the sleeping village, it was also furnished with everything he would need. Sasuke smiled, he had forgotten how much Naruto was caring and kind with his friends.

Before getting some much deserved sleep, he decided to a take a real bath, the hot water felt extremely relaxing on his sore muscles, much better than quick showers in dodgy inns or in cold waterfalls. After that, he put on some of the clean clothes his friend bought for him, and got in his bed, which truly felt like a sleeping on a cloud. He hated to admit it, right there at that moment, while sleeping in a comfortable bed tucked under a warm blanket after a long relaxing bath, the idea of sleeping in the cold, hard floor in some creepy woods, seemed ridiculous, he would miss sleeping under the stars though.

At his bedside table, Naruto had put the team 7 picture, sasuke felt compelled to stare at it once again, and picked it up. So much have changed and so many things happened.

He opened his eyes suddenly, his body covered in sweat, his breathing heavy, and heart pounding. Nightmares, he was quite used to them, they were his night companions for most of his life. Slowly remembering where he was, he looked around his room bathed by the faint morning light coming through the window. _It's morning already,_ he then stepped out of bed and opened the window. Even though all the buildings have changed, Konoha by day still had the same energy, with kids running around, young guenins following their sensei, shops owners slowly sweeping the front of their stores and old people sitting in benches silently admiring their surroundings, and remembering the times gone by.

"Ohayo gazaimasuoji-san, how is your knee? Is it still hurting?".

Sasuke froze down, he could recognize that voice anywhere, it was her, Sakura, he turned his head and immediately saw her pink hair, he could only see her back as she was leaning talking to an old man sitting on a bench. _Turn around! Turn around!_ He wanted to see her face, but she didn't turn and started to walk away.

"SAKURA !", before he could think he shouted her name and jumped out of the window landing perfectly on his feet. "Sakura, it's me !".

Sakura stopped walking and turned around slowly. Her eyes widened at the sight of him, in total shock she walked slowly towards him. She was still very beautiful, yet she was different in a way he could point out, she stopped few feet from him.

"Sa...Sasuke, is this you?", she breathed his name in shock.

"I am back sakur…", before he could finish talking, a painful darkness hit him

Before losing consciousness, the last thing that Sasuke saw was Sakura's fist launched towards his face, bashing his head towards to a wall.

Sasuke opened his eyes slowly, emerging himself from unconsciousness, at frist sight he was in an immaculate white room, in a hospital bed hooked to some beeping machines. His head was pounding, his mind clouded and his memory still foggy about the details of he l, but he remembered her fist landing on his head.

" Oh good you're up", sakura said, entering the room wearing her white doctor's coat and holding an exam chart in her hand.

" How many hours did i pass out ?"

"You've been out for 48 hours", she corrected him while examining his eyes, " you had a severe concussion, fractured skull and some broken bones, nothing we couldn't fix don't worry".

" From a single punch… i am little bit embarrassed", sasuke said surprised.

" Oh don't be, i have mean swing, the young mednin said sitting in the chair next to his bed, "one day I punched naruto so hard he passed out for 3 days".

"Hn he must had it coming", slightly smiled the ex rogue.

"So did you", and after few unconfortable minutes she said "sorry i am being a bitch".

"No no no , you're entitled to it." He could'nt help but stare at her nonchalance, she was extremly calm and composed, not showing any sigh of emotion « Sakura, I am sor…"

"No please don't say any anything it's already humiliating as it is", The pink kunoichi inturrupted him, " It's was not entirely your fault, i perfectly knew how you felt about me and still clung into you. It took me some time to stop channeling all my anger towards you, blaming you for everything, and finaly admit that I was in wrong as much as you are, if not more. I am sorry for my brutal reaction, it wasn't even my intent to punch you, you just took me by surprise, I dont know what gotten into me, it was like before i could think my fist was on your face knocking you unconsious".

"And i think also breaking my nose", The ex-rogue said robbing carefully his nose.

"Ha ha ha let me check that for you", she gently chuckled and applied her green healing chakra on his nose. "There, all new", she sat again in the chair next to him, but her smile faded, her lively eyes turned sad and looking as though she was gathering the courage to say something.

"Sasuke… there is something very important i think you need to know… and it's very difficult for me talk about it. So i need you not to interrupt me till the very end, understand ? "

"Ok, i wont interrupt you sakura", sasuke agreed frowning with anticipation.

"Good, oh god I don't know where to start, even though i prepared myself for it a long time ago".

"Tell me everything sakura from the very beginning".

"Alright, so i am gonna start by telling you something about my family that was kept secret from the public knowledge for a very long time. The haruno family is very a old clan, we are the last line of the spring pristess, that's why all the haruno girls have hair with various shade of pink, we have the power to invoque the spirts of spring and wield their power."

"Did naruto knew about this", asked Sasuke, his eye widened with shock.

" What happened to i am not gonna interupt you sakura", the mednin said imitating his voice, he only shot her a deadly look as response, " Oh don't look at me that way sasuke I didn't knew myself, my family successfully kept this from me till after the war, till they couldn't hide it no more. So where was i, hmm because the large burden and changes generated by those powers on our bodies, we can't use them from a young age, there are sealed until we're ready which coincide in the haruno tradition to the moment when hmm…..we…become women".

"So when we…we..you", Sasuke stammered staring at her in shock.

"Yep, when I lost my virginity to you, not knowing about any of all this, i got to wield the powers of the haruno family, see you're not the only one who got his powers from a fucked up family tradition", She chuckled slightly, "i am telling you this because, one of the many effects theses powers had on my body is a over developed fertility", _Could this mean_ , " Sasuke, 4 weeks after you left I found out that…that… i was pregnant".

Sasuke's heart skipped a beat and started to pound so hard he could hear it in his ears, his mind went blank incapable in forming any coherent thought. "I…I…have a child".

"No you don't", she sobbed and looked at him her eyes filled with tears, "no your child was never born…Because i killed it".


End file.
